1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pulse oscillation type gas laser device such as an Excimer Laser device, a transversely excited atmospheric pressure CO.sub.2 laser device (TEA-CO.sub.2 laser).
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 9 illustrates one example of the gas laser device of this type. The laser device shown in FIG. 9 comprises a chamber 1, a pair of parallel electrodes 2 and 3 disposed in the chamber 1, and parallel plate type capacitors 4 disposed on the outside of the chamber. Terminals of each capacitor are respectively connected to the electrodes 2 and 3 via electroconductors 6, 7 and 8 mounted on the cover 5 of the chamber 1 and electroconductive rods 9 extending through the cover 5.
As capacitors are charged so that their terminal voltages rise up to discharge initiating voltage, glow discharge starts between the electrodes 2 and 3, which excites laser gas passing through a space between the electrodes 2 and 3 thus creating laser oscillation.
To improve the efficiency of discharge, it is necessary to decrease the inductance of a circuit loop extending between the terminals of each capacitor and the electrodes 2 and 3. This can be accomplished by decreasing the cross sectional area bounded by the circuit loop. This area is called a loop cross-sectional area.
In the prior art gas laser device described above, since conductors 6, 7 and 8 are mounted on the cover 5, and capacitors are mounted on and connected to the conductors, the loop cross-sectional area is large, thereby decreasing the efficiency of discharge. Moreover, as the conductors 6, 7 and 8 are mounted on the cover 5, the construction is complicate and bulky.